My Virtual Child

Apryl Michelle Crump

Psychology 2070 Human Growth and Development

Sept. 28, 2013

Virtual Child Report 1- Infants and Toddlers (20 points)

1. How does your baby's eating, sleeping and motor development compare to the typical development patterned in the first 9 months?

Nahla is rather typical in her eating, sleeping and motor development. She usually sleeps majority of the day, waking when she is hungry or wet, and usually during feedings fall back to sleep. Nahla has recently started to pull herself up to stand and plays pat-a cake with me and her father, which are some of the gross motor and fine development skills that are grasped around this age. (106)

2. At 8 months of age was your child an "easy, slow to warm up ", or difficult baby in terms of Thomas and Chess's classic temperamental categories? On what do you base your judgment?

Nahla is easy to warm up in terms of Thomas and Chess classic temperamental categories. She is very cautious around new people and situations, but warms up fairly quickly to friendly people and new and interesting activities and then begins to vocalize a lot and make eye contact. When dropping Nahla off at day care she can sometimes be a little reluctant to leave me but after I leave she calms down. An easy to warm up temperament refers to children who quickly establishes regular routines in infancy, and is generally cheerful, and adapts easily to new experiences. (146)

3. How is your child's attachment relationship to you or your partner developing? What is happening at 3-month and 8-month periods that might affect attachment security according to Bowlby and Ainsworth, and various research Studies?

Nahla is more attached to me rather than my partner, because I am currently breastfeeding her and spend majority of my time with her between feedings, changing diapers and talking to her. Although I think it is important for Nahla to be around me it is also very important for Nahla to become familiar with other family members and friends. To build a stronger attachment between Nahla and my partner he will spend more quality time with her by bonding during diaper changes and spending quality time playing one on one with her.

4. Describe and give examples of changes in your child's exploratory or problem solving behavior from 8 through 18 months and categorize them according to Piagetian and information processing theories. Note that 8 months is included, so you'll need to use the time-line to look back at 8 months for examples.

Nahla was able to discover hidden items at 8 months but would become distracted when using object permanence .By 12 months she was not confused when the objects hiding space change and didn't become easily distracted. She also began imitating words and actions of her peers and adults. At 15 months she was experimenting on objects in his environment, she sometimes stacks blocks and toys the same way over and over again to see the different ways they can be stacked.

5. Analyze your baby's temperament in more detail at 18 months than you did at 8 months. How would you describe your baby in terms of the five aspects of temperament utilized by the Virtual Child program (activity, sociability, emotionality, aggressiveness vs. cooperativeness, and self-control)? Has your child's temperament been stable over the first 18 months? A blurb defining and providing examples of the five aspects of temperament is provided at 12 months, but you should seek out further explanations of temperament from your textbook. Explain how the concept of goodness of fit (also discussed in the blurb on infant temperament) applies to your interactions with your child.

Activity- Nahla is very active getting in to many things, wanting to always be on the move whether it's climbing up stairs or throwing all her toys out of the crib

Sociability- Nahla is more introverted and extroverted, she is very familiar to close family and friends but when she is approached by new people or situations she tends to draw back and become shy.

Emotionality-Nahla sometimes can become very cranky or angry for no apparent reason .she becomes very attached to me when she is in new settings or with new people.

Aggressiveness vs. Cooperativeness-Nahla was not very aggressive, unless she didn't get her way with something she wanted. She was fairly cooperative but sometimes would insist on not following directions from me when wanted to be stubborn.

Self-control-Nahla has very good self-control and works well with others for her age.

8. Have there been any environmental events in your child's 2/1 2 years that you think they influenced his or her behavior? On what do you base your hypotheses?

While Nahla was riding her hot wheels bike she fell of the curb and scratched herself up , after this incident she had become very reluctant to getting back on the bike because she is fearful of this happening again. I don't want to force her to start riding again so I just encourage her to ride and when she is ready and not fearful of what might happen again she will start to ride her bike again. Overall, in my opinion she is very well adjusted because of what the environment has provided, i feel strongly about this because she is progressing very steadily in her development some areas faster than others.

9. How is your child progressing on typical toddler issues, such as learning household rules, learning to follow routines, listening, developing self-control and learning to get along with other children?

Nahla is learning very well for her age. She loves to help out around the house with little things. The examiner recommended getting her to follow simple directions at home, gradually increasing the complexity and length of the directions. Nahla is progressing very well with toddler issues such as aggressiveness when a toy of something she was using is taken from her; although at the moment she may throw a tantrum she soon after will give the child the toy and find some other toy to play with. The examiner said that she is doing well enough in all of her learning that she is definitely ready for preschool.

10. Analyze your own parenting philosophy and practices. what principles from learning or social learning theory Bowlby,Ainsworth,Piaget,vygotsky, information processing theory, neuroscience or other theories do you appear to have relied on in making your parenting choices or interpreting you child's